Let the sight of the grandeur of Jesus transfigured prepare us for the contemplation shortly of the humiliation of His Passion. In St. John's Gospel (I: 51), our Lord applies the vision of Jacob's ladder to Himself, to show that in the midst of the persecutions of which He was the object, He was constantly under the protection of almighty God and His angels. So St. Hippolytus says: "As Esau planned his brother's death so the Jews plotted against Christ and the Church. Jacob must needs fly into a far country; in the same way Christ, thrust out by the unbelief of His Own nation, had to depart into Galilee where the Church sprung from the race of Gentiles, is given to Him as His Spouse. Moreover, at the end of time, these two peoples will be reconciled as were Esau and Jacob."

Today's Mass, then, taken in connection with the breviary lessons for this week, acquires its full sense and helps us understand the true meaning for us of the Paschal mystery which we are about to celebrate. Jacob beheld the God of Glory; the apostles saw Jesus transfigured; soon the Church will show us the risen Savior.

The venerated Abbot Dom Prosper Gueranger shares his reflections which we excerpt below from The Liturgical Year (pages 186-195 of Volume 5) for the Second Sunday of Lent:

The ancient liturgist, the Abbot Rupert, interprets this Gospel in accord with the ordination of new priests. The Church would have us think upon the sublime dignity which has been conferred upon the newly ordained priests. They are represented the three apostles, who were taken by Jesus to the high mountain, and favored with the sight of His glory. …These priests, who have just been ordained, and for whom you have been offering up your prayers and fast, will enter into the cloud with the Lord. They will offer up the Sacrifice of your salvation in the silence of the sacred Canon. God will descend into their hands, for your sake; and though they are mortal and sinners, yet will they, each day, be in closest communication with the Divinity. The forgiveness of your sins, which you are now preparing to receive from your heavenly Father, is to come to you through their hands; their superhuman power will bring it down from heaven upon your souls. It is this that God has cured our pride. The serpent said to us, through our first parents: 'Eat of this fruit, and you shall be as gods.' We unfortunately believed the tempter, and the fruit of our transgression was death. God took pity on us, and resolved to save us; but it is by the hands of men that He would save us, and this in order to humble our haughtiness. His own eternal Son became Man, and He left other men after Him, to whom He said: 'As the Father hath sent Me, I also send you.'(1)- {St. John xx. 21} Let us then, show honor to these men, who have been raised to so high a dignity. One of the duties imposed on us by our holy religion is respect to the priesthood.

After the Resurrection our three apostles made ample atonement for this cowardly and sinful conduct in the Garden of Olives, and acknowledged the mercy wherewith Jesus had sought to fortify them against temptation, by showing them His glory on Thabor a few days before His Passion. Let us not wait till we have betrayed Him; let us at once acknowledge that He is our Lord and our God. We are soon to be keeping the anniversary of His Sacrifice; like the apostles, we are to see Him humbled by His enemies and bearing, in our stead, the chastisements of divine justice. We must not allow our faith to be weakened, when we behold the fulfillment of those prophecies of David and Isaias, that the Messias is to be treated as a worm of the earth(1)-{Ps. xxi. 7} and be covered with wounds, so as to become like a leper, the most abject of men, and the Man of sorrows(2)-{Is. Liii. 3,4} We must remember the grand things of Thabor, and the adorations paid Him by Moses and Elias, and the bright cloud, and the voice of the eternal Father. The more we see Him humbled, the more must we proclaim His glory and divinity; we must join our acclamations with those of the angels and the four-and-twenty elders, whom St. John, one of the witnesses of the Transfiguration, heard crying out with a loud voice: 'The Lamb that was slain, is worthy to receive power and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and benediction!'(3)-{Apoc. v 12}

Let us purify the soul by the confession of our sins, by compunction of heart, by the love of God; and let us give back its dignity to the body, by making it bear the yoke of penance, that so it may be, henceforth, subservient and docile to the soul, and, on the day of the general resurrection, may partake in her endless bliss.

Let us go up the mountain with Jesus; there we shall not be disturbed by the noise of earthly things. Let us there spend our forty days with Moses and Elias, who long ago sanctified this number by their fasts. Thus, when the Son of Man shall have risen from the dead, we will proclaim the favors He has mercifully granted us on Thabor.

Seek sanctity and the approval of God in all you do

This special feature is provided by John Gregory with the Haydock Commentary found at the bottome of each page of the Douay-Rheims Bible. We publish it here in conjunction with the Epistle and Gospel for the Sunday Mass, with the cogent comprehensive Catholic Commentary penned by Father George Leo Haydock. The problem has always been that the typeface is so small that many cannot read the gems contained in these commentaries and miss out on discernments listed by the Fathers and Doctors of the Church as well as many saints and theologians. Now, thanks to John's efforts, we can provide readers with those words republished here in larger type and immediately following each respective verse to aid the contemplation of our readers. Today for the Second Sunday of Lent we can see the sage discernment of the Scriptures as provided by such august luminaries as St. John Chrysostom and St. Jerome among others in clarifying the discernment of these verses, especially in the Gospel on the Transfiguration in how this very mystical event would have confirmed to the unbelieving Jews that Christ was indeed the Messias, though Jesus knew their stubborn and perfidious blindness would not allow them to acknowledge Him thus.

Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 4: 1-7

1For the rest therefore, brethren, we pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us, how you ought to walk, and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more.

Commentary on Verse 1: In this chapter the apostle begins to remind them of their obligation of always striving to increase in virtue. Though he praises them through the whole epistle, he still thinks it necessary to warn them not to be surprised in uncleanness. He repeats what he had taught them before; first, that there is vengeance awaiting the workers of evil; and secondly, that the favour of God is the reward of those who deal with the brethren in simplicity, and preserve themselves from the defilements of the Gentiles. St. Ambrose.

2 For you know what commandments I have given to you by the Lord Jesus.

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from fornication:

4That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor:

Commentary on Verse 4: His vessel. That is, his own body. See 1 Kings 21: 5.

5Not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles, who know not God:

6 And that no man overreach, nor deceive his brother in business: because the Lord is the avenger of all these things, as we have told you before, and have testified.

Commentary on Verse 6:That no man overreach, nor deceive his brother in business. The Protestants and Mr. N. even in their translations, add, in any matter, because some expound it of frauds and circumventions in any kind of business. But this addition of any, should be left out, seeing the best interpreters expound it of a prohibition of adultery, and the injury thereby done to another, and of sins of that kind only, which is confirmed by what follows and what goes before. See St. Jerom in c. iv. ad Ephes. tom. 4. p. 369. St. John Chrysostom. serm. 3 on this place. Here, says he, he speaks of adultery, as before of fornication, & c. See Theodoret.

7For God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness.

Gospel: St. Matthew 17: 1-9

1And after six days Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart:

Commentary on Verse 1:And after six days. St. Matthew reckons neither the day of the promise, nor the day of the transfiguration; St. Luke, including both calls the interval about eight days. St. John Chrysostom - He took Peter, as head of the apostolic college; James, as first to shed his blood for the faith; and John, as he was to service all the rest, and to transmit to posterity the circumstances of this glorious mystery; or, according to St. John Chrysostom on account of their more excellent love, zeal, courage, sufferings and predilection. The mountain is generally believed to be Thabor, and as such is considered by Christians as holy, and was much frequented by pilgrims, as St. Jerome testifies. Venerable Bede tells us that three churches were built upon it: and Mr. Maundrell, in his Journey from Aleppon to Jerusalem, p. 112, says there are still three grottoes, made to represent the three tabernacles proposed by St. Peter. According to Le Brun, Thabor is situated about 12 miles from the sea of Galilee, and eight from Nazareth. Others, however, do not think the transfiguration took place on Mount Thabor, which was in the middle of Lower Galilee, because St. Mark (11: 29,) says, that Christ and His apostles, departing thence, passed through Galilee, and not out of Galilee, and suppose it might be Libanus, because it was near Caesarea Phillippi; in the borders of which Christ appears at this time to have been, at least the promise of the transfiguration was made there, and this place is distant about 60 miles from Mount Thabor. St. Matthew 16: 13. - Mount Libanus is the highest in Palestine, according to S. Jerm; and of it Isaias prophesied: "the glory of Libanus is given to it, the beauty of Carmel and Saron; they shall see the glory of our God." xxxv. 2. But, as we said above, Thabor is very generally supposed to have been the mountain.

2And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow.

Commentary on Verse 2:Transfigured. Let no one think that He changed His natural form, laying aside His corporeal, and assuming a spiritual form; but when the evangelist says His countenance shone like the sun, and describes the whiteness of His garments, He shews in what the transfiguration consisted. He added to His former appearance splendour and glory, but laid not aside His substance. . . . The Lord was transfigured into that glory with which He will appear again at the day of judgment, and in His kingdom. St. Jerome - Calvin translates (the word) as transformed, but contrary to the sentiment of the holy fathers. He did not shew them His divinity, which cannot be seen by the eyes of the body, but a certain glimpse or sign of the same: hence the hymn -

3 And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias, talking with him.

Commentary on Verse 3: Moses and Elias. Jesus Christ had been taken by the people for Elias, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He therefore chose the chief of all the prophets to be present, that He might shew His great superiority over them, and verify the illustrious confession of Peter. The Jews had accused Christ of blasphemy, and of breaking the sabbath; the presence of Moses and Elias refuted the calumny; for the founder of the Jewish laws would never have sanctioned him who was a transgressor of those laws; and Elias, so full of zeal for the glory of God, would never have paid homage to One Who made Himself equal to God, had He not really been the Son of the Most High. St. John Chrysostom. St. Hilary thinks that Moses and Elias (who represent the law and the prophets, and who here bear witness to the divinity of Jesus Christ,) will be the precursors of His second coming, alluded to in the Apocalypse, ch. xi, though the general opinion of the Fathers is, that the two witnesses there mentioned are Enoch and Elias. Jans. - It is hence evident, that the saints departed can and do, with the permission of God, take an interest in the affairs of the living. St. Augustine - For as angels elsewhere, so here the saints also, served our Savior; and as angels, both in the Old and New Testament, were frequently present at the affairs of men, so may saints. All interpreters agree that Elias appeared in his own body, but various are their opinions with regard to the apparition of Moses.

4 Then Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

5And as He was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And behold a Voice out of the cloud, saying: This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased: hear ye Him.

6And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much afraid.

Commentary on Verse 6:And were very much afraid. There were two causes that might produce this fear in the apostles, the cloud that overshadowed them, or the voice of God the Father, which they heard. Their human weakness could not bear such refulgent beams of glory, and trembling in every limb, they fall prostrate on the ground. St. Jerome - The Almighty, it seems, was pleased to fulfill the wish of Peter, thereby to shew that Himself is the tent or pavilion, under the shade of which the blessed shall live for ever, and to sanction the public and explicit confession of Peter relative to the divinity of Jesus Christ, by his own no less public and explicit confession, joined with an express command to hear and obey. St. John Chrysostom very justly remarks, that this voice was not heard to whom it was referred, and that it was to Christ only and to no other. - Hear ye Him: i.e. as the law and the prophets are fulfilled and verified in Jesus Christ, your new legislator and prophet, you are to hear and obey Him in preference to either Moses or Elias, or any other teacher.

7 And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them: Arise, and be not afraid.

Commentary on Verse 7: And Jesus came and touched. The terrified disciples were still prostrate on the ground, and unable to rise, when Jesus, with His usual benevolence, approaches, touches them, expels their fear, and restores them to the use of their limbs. St. Jerome.

8And lifting up their eyes, they saw no man but only Jesus.

9And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead

Commentary on Verse 9:Tell the vision to no man, till the miracle of His resurrection has prepared the minds of men for the belief of this. Expose not an event so wonderful to the rash censure of the envious Pharisees, who calumniate and misrepresent My most evident miracles. Jesus Christ also gave a lesson here to His followers to observe the closest secrecy in all spiritual graces and favors.

Note the next verse is not part of today's Gospel, but helps in understanding the full content of the Gospel so we have included it here:

10 And His disciples asked Him, saying: Why then do the Scribes say that Elias must come first?

Commentary on Verse 10: Elias must come first. The prophet Elias will come again in person before My second coming to judgment, and will re-establish all things, by the conversion of the Jews to the Christian faith, according to the common opinion. But John the Baptist, who was Elias in spirit, is already come. See St. Matthew xi. 14. This was a vulgar error spread by the Scribes among the Jewish people. It proceeded from an erroneous interpretation of Scripture. They confounded the two comings of our Savior. The Baptist was the precursor of Christ at His first coming, and was styled by our Lord Elias, because He performed the office of Elias; and he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias. St. Luke i: 17 - But this prophet in person will be the precursor of the second coming of Christ. Wherefore Malachy, predicting this coming of Christ, says: I will send to you Elias the Thesbite; thus evidently distinguishing him from the Baptist, who was also Elias in spirit and in the dignity of his office. St. John Chrysostom. Jesus Christ here confirms the literal sense of the prophecy; (Malac. iv. 5,) but, in the next verse, He shews a prior, though less perfect accomplishment of the same in the person of John the Baptist, who was raised by God to prepare the ways of the Lord.

Remember, o Lord, Thy bowels of compassion, and Thy mercies that are from the beginning of the world, lest at any time our enemies rule over us : deliver us, O God of Israel, from all our tribulations. (Psalm 24: 1, 2) To Thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul : in Thee, O my God, I put my trust : let me not be ashamed.
v. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Repeat He shall cry to Me...

Return to the ORDINARY OF THE HOLY MASS - Note from Septuagesima Sunday to Maundy Thursday there is no GloriaTHE MASS OF THE CATECHUMENS

O God, Who seest that we have no power whatever from ourselves; keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may hurt the soul.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever.R.Amen.

EPISTLE: 1 Thessalonians 4. 1-7

[God our Creator and our Lord "hath not called us unto uncleanness,
but into sanctification, in Christ Jesus, our Lord."]

Lesson from the Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians. Brethren: We pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus that, as you have received from us, how you ought to walk and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more. For you know what precepts I have given to you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification : that you should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles that know not God : and that no man overreach nor circumvent his brother in business : because the Lord is the avenger of all these things, as we have told you before and have testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification : in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Give glory to the Lord, for He is good : for His mercy endureth for ever. V. Who shall declare the powers of the Lord : who shall set forth all His praises? V. Blessed are they that keep judgment and do justice at all times. V. Remember us, O Lord, in the favor of Thy people; visit us with Thy salvation.

The Lord be with you.R. And with thy spirit. The continuation of the holy Gospel according to Matthew. R. Glory to Thee, O Lord

At that time Jesus taketh Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart : and He was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun : and His garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with Him. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: "Lord, it is good for us to be here: If Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moss, and one for Elias." And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying : "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased: hear ye Him." And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said to them : "Arise, and fear not." And they lifting up their eyes saw no one, but only Jesus. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: "Tell the vision to no man till the Son of Man be risen from the dead."Praise be to Christ

Peacefully look down, we beseech Thee, O Lord, upon these sacrifices, that they may both increase our devotion and contribute to our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever.R.Amen.

The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit.
Lift up your hearts.R.We have lifted them up to the Lord.Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. R. It is meet and just. It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God: Who by this bodily fast, dost curb our vices, dost lift up our minds and bestow on us strength and rewards; through Christ our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with these we entreat Thee that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted while we say with lowly praise: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY...

The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit.Let us pray.
We humbly beseech Thee, O almighty God, that we whom Thou hast strengthened with Thy sacraments, may henceforth serve Thee in worthiness of life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.